The prospect of going to Hawaii for anything, whether it be beaches, rum smoothies poolside, hiking, golf or whatever always seemed like a daunting trip to me.

Hawaii, in my mind, was always the place you either went on your honeymoon – if you could afford it – or a place you’d never go. I always viewed it as a once-in-a-lifetime destination with most people never making it that once.

Little did I realize until a vacation trip to Hawaii with my wife in February, the kind of golfing mecca the place is. And, it’s not impossible to get there, nor is it always ridiculously expensive.

Continental Airlines now has a direct flight from Newark to Honolulu for as little as $644 round trip. And, once you’re there, the island-hopper plane rides are about $50 round trip.

Our trip, most of which took place on the island of Maui, included six rounds of golf – each course more beautiful than the next.

The first two courses were the Wailea Gold Course and the Makena South, both of which are set up in the hills overlooking the ocean with the island of Lanai in the distance.

Wailea and Makena are minutes from where we stayed at the Four Seasons Resort, one of the accommodation wonders of the world.

It is, of course, high end compared to some other places to stay, but a treat everyone should experience with its ocean-view rooms, ocean-side pool and the most relaxing nooks and crannies in and around the pool and ocean to recline on lounge chairs. The service at the Four Seasons is like nowhere else you’ve ever been.

The Four Seasons has a package for two including golf, an ocean view room and use of a car for $670 per night.

If you’re looking for less expensive packages, Destination Resorts has ocean front condos that can be shared with couples, friends, etc. for as low as $300 or $400 per night.

For a memorable dining experience while in Wailea, head up the mountain to Le Gunji, located at the Diamond Resort. It’s a hidden-away hibachi-style restaurant with incredible food. While there, my wife and I ended up dining with European Tour star Jarmo Sandelin and his girlfriend.

From Wailea, we moved on to the island of Lanai, where were taken aback by the experience. The 45-minute ferry ride over there was like a whale watching tour, with humpbacks jumping all around us.

Once there, we stayed at the Manele Bay Hotel, which sits atop the bluffs overlooking the ocean. At Manele Bay is the Jack Nicklaus-designed Challenge at Manele Bay. Each hole is more spectacular than the next, with 200 and 300-foot drops to the water from the cliff ledges of some of the holes.

This is where I came to the conclusion that when you have goose bumps running along your skin from the breathtaking look around you it tends to lead to inspired golf. The front nine at the Challenge climbs into the volcanic mountain with each tee box offering a more incredible view than the next.

When you get to No. 12 you’ve gotten to one of the most daunting par 3s you’ll ever encounter – 202 yards of carry over the ocean 200 feet below to the green, which is protected by a front right bunker. It stands as the most remarkable hole I’ve ever played. It’s no wonder a number of golf publications have it listed as one of the best holes in the world.

If you’re a hotel guest, a round costs $135. If you’re a day visitor to the island it’s $185. Either way, it’s worth every penny.

The next treat was the Greg Norman-designed Experience at Koele, where the front nine gives you the feel like you’re playing in Vermont, with pine trees all around you and not a sign of ocean anywhere.

This course is adjacent to the Lodge at Koele, which is one of the most special places we’ve ever stayed. The decadent ski-lodge-like hotel is located at the top of Lanai, with no sign of the ocean. You think you’re socked in the middle of Woodstock, Vermont or somewhere. It’s as beautiful and serene a getaway as you can find on earth.

As for the golf: Spectacular. The 8th hole is one of the wonders of golf. It’s a 444-yard par 4 from a tee box elevated with a 250-foot drop to the fairway and green. From the tee, you’re staring at a forest-like ravine that rides its way down the mountain.

After leaving Lanai, our final destination was Kapalua, where we would stay in the luxury of the Ritz Carlton, an accommodation and service wonderland with one of the great three-tiered pools anywhere. There I played the Plantation Course, where the PGA Tour’s Mercedes Championships is played each January, and the Bay Course, which winds its way along the ocean.

These were two more extraordinary courses; with the Plantation offering some of the most breathtaking changes in elevation from tee to green I’ve ever seen.

My scores reflected the inspiration of the courses – 84 at Wailea, 92 at Makena, 83 at the Challenge, 89 at the Experience, 82 at the Plantation and 78 at Bay Course.